Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Question about buying a Horse
I am getting panicky about not having a pro w/ me to say yay/nay on the potential horse. How many of ya'll have bought horses on your own? I have actually bought the last 3 on my own, only one of which was a poor choice. I feel like I'm fairly knowledgeable, but still...am I being stupid?
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Dare's in the process and should be able to chime in with her opinion...
I bought Pro "myself" but technically it was from my trainer who knew the both of us so, that was a very different situation.
I have bought all of mine on my own. Very few weren't what I thought they were. Trust your gut, you are the one that will have to ride it/care for it.
The best horse(s) I have ever bought I bought on my own. I had a video of both the owner and then me riding the most expensive one I have ever bought, and showed the video to my trainer. She said it looked like he knew his job well, and liked doing it. He did OK on the prepurchase, so I bought him. He was the most wonderful schoolmaster ever.
I also bought some that were the wrong match for me along the way, but that was also when I ignored my intuition. Do trust your gut, and I believe you'll be just fine.
I bought all but one of my horses on my own and didn't have any problems with any of them. In fact, the one that I bought with a trainer's help was the one that had the most risk factors involved.
You know yourself and your riding abilities best, so as long as you're honest with yourself it should be fine. If you can get someone to take a video of you riding, even just with a digital camera, that might help you feel more comfortable?
Yep..got the video. Trainer approved. He is easy peasy to ride. Very calm and laid back. I'm going back and plan on hacking him out on the trails to make sure he's as calm out and about. The only thing I haven't been able to do is over fences stuff, but I'm not comfortable jumping an unfamiliar horse anyway...besides, he's got ribbons out the wazoo at the big shows with pro's and kids, so I'll guess he's fine.
I guess I'm just nervous that I'll get him home and he'll have some new quirks that no one could foresee. In that case, I suppose a trainer's opinion wouldn't help anyway!
Ellen- Normally I'd say to MOST people to bring a pro along with them. But you're a solid rider and are intelligent about your skills and weaknesses. If you think he's a good boy and you two click (AND he passes the vet exam!!) then I say go for it!
Btw- why can't you jump him? That's my only concern- that you'd get him home and find out that maybe he isn't what they said he was as far as jumping goes!
K, back to studying....I swear, I don't know how you grad students do it!!
The barn doesn't have any jumps! The trainer rides dressage...although she said she did jump him over small stuff when they got him and he is like clockwork. His previous trainer told them that he NEVER refuses. And his changes are so good they used him to teach the little kids how to get them.
I really get the feeling the sellers are very honest and would have no qualms about refusing the sale if they thought it wasn't a good match. They rescue and accept donated horses (he's donated, actually) so they aren't interested in getting them back.
I didn't jump the one that became my schoolmaster...I had never even jumped before and was buying him to learn on. He is the one I referenced above (my schoolmaster Sam...I forgot, I wrote about him in my first post!) I didn't take a pro with me, just got the video. I did see the owner jump him, though.
Do you have a truck? Can you take some small jumps with you, even cavaletti?
Well, Im not seriously shopping now, Im still looking but only browsing in case "the one" comes along.
I looked at 5 horses without a trainer. I went and rode the horse and had my husband take lots of pics and video. Once I got home, I would send these to my trainer and get her opinion.
She came with me once and it did take some pressure off of me, but I still felt ok doing it on my own. I wouldnt feel comforatable buying a horse without a professional seeing pictures and a video.
If the horse seems great and the trainer has seen a video of YOU riding him, then get a PPE (blood test inculded) and bring him home. If he does have some quirk that is hard for you to work out, it is probably something small that you can get a trainer to help you fix.
Also, you can get opinions from NCHN people. I saw a horse I loved but he was extremely toed in. I was concerned about it and wanted to get an opinion other than my trainer's. They helped convince me that this horse's toeing in was very serious.
Ah, ok! You can't jump him b/c they don't have any jumps! Well, that's a perfectly acceptable reason not to jump him then! (I thought it might be something like, oh he's dead lame right now... ;) Ya know?
It sounds like they're being honest and upfront. Talk to your trainer about him. Get your wonderful b/f to take some video of you if it makes you more comfortable. But I know you, and you're CERTAINLY aware enough of what you want and need not to do anything stupid. If he seems safe and sane and sound and you like him AND he passes the vet check, then enjoy your new GORGEOUS gray! :D
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